Peanut-harvester.



No. 7o|,529. 'Paiented :une 3, |902. c. a. wYBoRNEY.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

(Application led July 18, 1901.) (No ModeI.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 701,529. Patented I une 3. i902. C. R. WYBURNEY.

-P'EANUT HARVESTER. (Application med July'ls, 1901.)

' 4 Sliets-Sheet 2.

(No Modal.)

Patented lune 3, |902.

C. R. WYBURNEY.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

(Application led July 18, 1901.)

4 Sheds-*Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Patented lune 3, |902.

C. R. WYBHNEY.

PEANUT HARVESTER.

(Application led. July 18, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

Aww w., N. .NWN NQ .5%5 Q ANC m my@ z O t M a w 3..

UNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. `VJYBORNEY, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA .PEANUT-HARVESTER.

srnclncecrxorr foaming part of Letters Patent No. r701,529, dated June 3, 19o.a.-

Application filed July 131 1901- To LtZ whom, t 11n/ty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES RWYBORNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State ot Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Peanut -Harvesters; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art -to which it-appertains-to make and use the same.

This invention relates to harvesters, and more particularly to the subsoil class which open the ground, lift, and deliver the harvest clear of the machine.

The machine is constructed most especially for groundnuts and is drawn or otherwise propelled over the field and digs the peanuts, removes all soil by a shaking and vibrator-y motion, and dumps the vines and pindars in heaps, this being controlled by the driver.

The machine comprises a single plow, two endless elevators, means for imparting a vi- .bratory motion to the elevators for agitating the pindars to loosen and remove the soil, a carrier for receiving the vines and nuts and holding them until a sutiicient quantity has accumulated to form a bunch or pile of del sired size, which is dropped in a heap by tripping the carrier, anagitator-bar for shaking the nuts as they are moved upward bythe carrier, a clutch for throwing the machine into and out of gear when lowering and raising the plow', and novel means'for regulating the tension of the drive-belts and elevators..

Fora fulldescriptiou of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowl edge of the details of construction of the means foreiecting the result reference is to be had to the follewin g description and draw- Lingszhereto attached.

f" While the essential and characteristic features of thei-nvention are susceptible of modiiication, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in vthe accompanying drawings, in which y Figure l is a perspective view cfa peanutharvester lembodying the invent-ion, the elevators and the drive-'Wheel and drive-chain outhe near side being' omitted. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the lower portion' 1 of the elevator-frame, showing the plow, the

Serial No. 68.824., (No model.)

rear end portion of the elevator-frame and cooperating pagts, showing the side guards. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 7 is adetail perspective view of the means employed for hingedlyfconnecting the main and drat't frames. Figr 8 is a top vplan view of the machine. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the-clutch-adjusting lmeans between the elevator and main frames and the adjacent parts. Fig. l0 is a detail View ot' the elevator-frame and side guards, the latter-being in the position which they will occupy when the machine is harvesting Virginia peanuts. Fig. 11 is a View similar to Fig. 10, showing the side guards in the position which they will occupy when the machine is harvesting Spanish peanuts, said View also indicating the position of the means for throwing the vines in one direction and the nuts in an opposite direction.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated inall the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The draft-frame.. comprises the pole orl tongue 1, hounds 2, and a bar 3, having its endportions bent about at a right angle and extended rearward. The main frame cornprises longitudinal bars 4, inclined side bars 5, uprights 6, and cross-bars 7 and 8. Side brackets 9, attached to the forward portions of the longitudinal bars 4, are pivotally connected to the bent ends of the bar 3, and the ,bars 4 have pivotal connection with the rear ends of the hounds 2, the pivotal connections between the several barsbeng in transverse alinement and coinciding with the axis about which the draft-frame turns. The brackets 9,in eiect, constitute a part ofthe main frame. The manner of pivotally connecting the two frames is unimportant, since the connection may be made in any substantial way found -IOO 'of t he bars 4 and brackets 9.

moet advantageous. The axles 10 for supporting the ground-wheels 11 are intransverse alinement and are located in the rear of the pivotal connection between the draft and main frames and are supported at their ends in castings or fittings applied to the ends This arrangement admits of the draft-frame moving freely without affecting the relation of the groundwheels to the operating mechanism. The main frame is supported at its front end'upon ground-wheels 11 and at its rear end by means of a caster-wheel 12. v

The elevator-frame comprises side bars 13, which inclineupwardly and rearwardly, being connected and supported at their upper ends by means of the cross-bar 8 and at their lower ends by means of the crankshaft 14,

which is hung in bearings forming a part of.`

the bracket 15, connecting the forward ends of the bars 4 and 5. Longitudinal slots 16-are formed in the bars 13 near their lower ends and receive the horizontal or crank portion of the crank-shaft 14, therebyl making provision for the play of the crank-shaft incident to the raising and lowering of the forward end of the elevator-frame. An operating-lever 17 is secured to one end of the crank-shaft 14 and is provided with the usual hand-latch for coperation with a toothed portion 18 of the right-hand bracket 15 to hold the crank-shaft and lower end of the elevator-frame in an adj usted position. The plow 19 is attached to the lower end of the elevator-frame and is pointed, the edges inclining alike from opposite sides of the point. Any kind of plow the style illustrated being preferred, as in practice lit has been found to successfully.

A shaft 2O is journaled to the bars 13 near their lower ends and is provided .with grooved pulleys'21, which support the lower end of the elevators 22, which areof the endless type and comprise sprocket-chains provided at inoperate most Vtervals in their, length with flights or wings for engagement with the vines and peanuts to carry them upward and rearward for deposition into the carrier. A shaft 23 is journaled in bearings providedl at the rear end portion of Athe machine and attached to 'the main frame and extends transversely of the machine parallel with the shaft 20 and is provided with sprocket-wheels 24, which su pport the upper end'of the elevator-sand impart movement thereto. Particular attention is directed 'to the fact that the elevators are snpported at one end by means of the elevatorframe and at the opposite end by means ofthe main frame. Hence a longitudinal adjustmentoi the elevator 'and main frames will loosen or tighten the elevators. As shown most clearly in Fig. 9, the cross-bar S has each end portion bent and terminating in abearingsleeve, which receives the shaft 23, and this cross-barnearitsbentendiswidened,asshown at 25, the widened portion extending in the ventes -f/ront and in the rear-and provided with slots One of the extensions is bent about at a right angle and is pierced to receive a set-y screw 27, which is adapted to bear against a v bracket 28, secured to a side bar 13 of the elevator-frame. bracket 28 and the slots 26 of the widened portion 25 and secure the parts in an adjustedI position. When it is-necessary to tighten or,

Bolts 29 pass through the loosen the elevators, the bolts 29 are loosened and the set-screws 27 turned either forward or backward to effect the desired adjustment of the elevator-frame with reference to the main frame, and after theelevators have been adjusted tothe required tension the elevatort frame is secured by retightening the bolts 29.

Transverse shafts 30 and 3l are'journaled at their ends to the side bars 13 of the elevatorframe intermediate of their ends and are provided mcdially with cranks 32, upon which is mounted a bar 33 for' shaking and agitating the vines and peanuts as they are carried upward and rearward by the elevators. This shaker or agitator bar 33 is located in the space formed between the two elevators and imparts a vibratory movement to the groundnuts, which serves to loosen and remove any earth that may cling thereto. .The upper end of the bar 33 encircle's the shaft 23, as shown at 34, and itspurpose is to push the vines from the elevators and cause'themto drop into the carrier. The curved end 34 projects beyond the upper end of the elevators, so as to detach the vines therefrom and prevent their following the lower portion of the elevators to the front end of the machine. Elliptical wheels 35,36, 37, and 38 are secured to the shafts 3 0 -and 31 and are toothed, so as to engage with the upper portion'of the respeclive elevators. These elliptical wheels are intended to impart a vibratory movement to the upper portion of the elevators to as sist in loosening and removing any soil that may adhere to the peanuts. The relative arrangement of the elliptical wheels may be such as experiment may demonstrate to give the best results. Practical tests have shown that it is advantageous to arrange the wheels 35 and 36npon the shaft 30 with4 the major axisl of 'one'about at a right angle to the minor axis of the other. This is truewith refioo erence tothe arrangement of the wheels37 and 38 upon the shaft 31. Considering the wheels35` and 37 and 36 and 38, they are arranged with the major axes of one set at a rear end'bya sprocket-wheel 42, mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 23, so as to impart motion to the latter and to the eleva-` tors by means of the sprocket-wheels 24. The tension of the sprocket-belt 40 may be varied 'oy means of adjustment of the flever 43, to whichthe sprocket-idler 4l is jonrnaled, said lever having a slotted extension 44, which receives a fastening for securing the lever 43 in an adjusted position. When the fastening 4-5'is loosened, the lever43 can ,be turned upon its pivotal connection'with the bar 5 or other portion of the main frame, thereby varying the distance between the centers of the parts 41 and 42. After the belt 40 hasr been adj usted to the desired tension the lever 43 is made fast.by retightening the fastening '45.

The carrier is located at the rear end of the machine and .consists of `-a shaft or cross-bar 46, jonrnaled at its ends to the bars 5, and a series of cur-ved fingers or rods 47, attachedl to the cross-'bar 46 and extended about at a lright angle therefrom. An inclined board 48 immediately below the upper or delivery end ci? the elevators cooperates with the fingers orcurved rods 47 to support the vines and pindars until the desired quantity has accumulatedwhen the carrier is tripped to re'- lease the bunch, which will drop in a pile upon ythe ground in the rear ofthe machine. A bar 49 is attached intermediate o f its ends to an end portion of the shaft or cross-bar 46, and a spring 50`connects one end of the bar 49to thefrarne of the machine and is suiciently strong' tohold the carrier closed against a bunch or mass of vines and nuts until its teusion is `overcome by force :applied by vthe,

ends or these guards Iapproach close to thel surface of the ground, so as to catch up run.- ners at the outer ends of the vines,so as to insure gathering in of the harvest. Pindars, known commercially as Virginia peanuts,

spread; Hence the guards 54 are located a short distanceffrom the bars 13 ofthe elevator-frame when the machine is designed for .harvesting groundnuts ot' thisvaricty; but when the machine is designed for harvesting SSpanish peanuts, which grow compactly or in bunches,the guards 54 are arranged vabout in Athe plane of the side bars 13 of the elevatorframe, as shown most clearly in Fig. 11, Fig. 0 showing the arrangement of the guards 54 .v when the nlachine'is designed to harvest Virgina peanuts.' It is possible and desirable to head the harvest-that is, to throw the Vines in one direction and the roots in the opposite direction. l This can be readily accomplished ,plane than the rod 55. The vines are deflected toward the left-hand side-of the machine by the rod 55, and the upper portion is thrown over toward the right-hand side of the machine, thereby throwing the roots in one dil'rection and the vines in the opposite direction. The roots being heavier'than the vines will .alwaysoccupy the lowermost position; hence-will -be engaged bythe rod 55, whereas the vines being uppermost will be engaged by the rod 56.' Hence the arrangement of the harvest with the vines facing in one direction andthe roots or pindarspointing in an opposite direction.

,l `The sprocket-wheels 42 are loosely mount- 'I ed upon the end''portions of the shaft 23 and are provided upon their inner sides with halfclutches to co'peratewith corresponding halfclutches secured to the shaft 23,whereby when the two half-clutches are'in engagement the sprocket-wheels 42 and shaft 23 will rotate together. A spring 57 is mounted upon each end portion Vof the shaft 23 and is confined between the sprocket-wheel 42 and a washer 58, held upon the outer end of the shaft by a pin Vor other means. These springs 57 normally holdl the sprocket-wheels 42 in clutched engagement with the shaft 23,-the clutch being indicated at 59. A shipper-lever 60 is fulcrumed at its front end to a bracket or part 6l ofthe main frame. and its forked end enters a groove formed in the hub of the sprocketwheel. A cam-trip 62 is applied to the shipper-lever vintermediate, of its ends and is locatedlin the path of the end of the cross-bar plow is lowered so as .to enter the grou'nd, the ends f the cross-bar 8 clear the camtrps 62, and the springs 57 being unrestrained exert an inward pressure upon the sprocketwheels 42 and holdrthem in clutched engagement with the shaft 23'.- When the plow 19 vis elevated for. any purpose, the ends of the cross-bar 8 come in contact with the canitrips 62 and force the forked ends of the shipperlevers 6'() outward and move the halfclutches of the sprocket-wheels 42 away from -the half clutches secured to the shaft 23, thereby unshipping the clutches 59 and throwing the elevators out of action. The elevator-frame swings upon the shaft, 23 as lan axis, and the shipper-levers 60 being fulcrumed to the main frame it is obvious that thecamtrips 62 ride upon the cross-bar 8 as the lower IOO 48, soas to be engaged thereby. VVhenthe endofthe elevator-frameismoved np or v .'down. When the plow is lowered, the crossbar 8- moves downward and permits the shipper-levers to move inward at their upper rear ends under the action of the springs 57 in-re` gaining their normal position.

As ,the machine is drawn over the field, the 5 `plow having been lowered to the proper depth, the peanuts are brought to light and as soon as they clear thfe plow are taken up by the elevators and carried upward and rearward and dropped int-o the carrier. Intheir uplo ward travel the peanuts are shaken and violently agitated in such a manner as to loosen and remove any adhering soil, which dropsto the ground through the spaces formed between theflights or wings of the elevators. After a suiiicient quantity has accumulated in the carrier to form a bunch or pile of de- Isired size the driver operates the lever 52,

thereby releasing the bunch, which drops `to t the ground immediately in the rear of the 2o machine. When the end of a row is reached or when the plow is elevated for any purpose, the elevators are thrown out of action by the unshipping of-the clutches 59 in the manner set forth.

The grooved pulleys 2l are kept clean and prevented from becoming choked by means of Scrapers 63, which consist of blades attached to arms Get, attached in any convenient way to the framework of the machine.

3o Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as newtisl. In a machine for harvesting peanuts and the like, companion elevators spaced apart transversely, and au agitator-bar located in the space fermedbetween the elevators for imparting a vibrator-y movement to the article being harvested, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for harvesting peanuts'and the like, companion elevators transversely m spaced, and a'shaker-bar arranged in the said space and provided at its upper end with a curved portion projecting beyond, the delivery end of the elevators to push the vines and peanuts therefrom, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for harvesting peanuts and thelike, transversely-spaced elevators, means for imparting a vibratory movement thereto, and a shaker-bar located in the space formed 5o between the elevators, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, a main frame, an elevator-frame fulcrumed to the main frame and having longitudinal slots, and a crankshaft 55 journaled to the main frame and having its 'crank portion operating in the. slots of the lelevator-frame, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination, a main frame, an elevator-frame longitudinally movable with refer- 6o' ence to the main frame, an endless elevator,

vente@ supports for the said elevator applied to the main and elevator frames, and means for movin g the frames longitudinally with reference to each other to elect a tightening or loosening of the elevator, substantially as setforth.

6. In combination, a shaft, an elevatorframe mounted to turn upon said shaft, an endless elevator, su pports for the endless elevator mounted upon the aforesaid shaft and` elevator-frame, and means for effecting a longitudinal movement of the elevator-frame, the same consisting of corresponding irons, adjusting means for relatively moving the irons, and fastening means for securing the irons in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.V`

7. In combination, a shaft, an elevatorframe, a cross-bar having bent ends mounted upon the shaft, said cross-bar-having slotted widened portions, one of the widened portions having an end portion bent, brackets secured to the elevator-frame, set-screws mounted in the said bent ends,- fastenings for-securing the brackets in an adjusted position, an endless elevator, and supports for said elevator applied to the aforementioned shaft and to the elevator-frame, substantially as set forth.

8. In a harvester of the character described, and in combination with .the elevator, aetnating means therefor including a clutch, and means for 'raising and lowering the elevator, a shipper-lever, and a trip automatically actuated by the raising and lowering of the lelevator to automatically throw the-operating mechanism into and out of gear,- substantially as set forth.

9. In combination, an elevator, means for raising and lowering the same, an actuating mechanism including a clutch, a shipper-le- Ver in engagement with the clutch and mounted independently of the elevator-frame and having a part to be engaged by a portion of the elevator-frame to effect a making and a breaking of the clutch automatically by a. raising and lowering of the elevator, substantially as set forth.

10. In combination, an elevator adapted to be raised and lowered, elevator actuating mechanism including a clutch, and a shipperlever for the clutch mounted independently of the elevator and having a cam-trip for co operation with the elevator to edect an auto-l matic making and breaking of the clutch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES It. WYBORNEY. [1.. s]

Witnesses: l R. W. DE HAVEN,

M. R. SUTHERLAND.

IOO 

